Scott Spence 1826668 posted about 11 hours ago 1361889913 12399646 Scott Contributor I 1 comment collapsed I like Burke but I would rather grab Otto Porter. Small forward is a very important position in the east with King James down in Miami so we need a more physical SF than Singler. In free agency I would offer a big deal to Monta Ellis (5 yrs, 75 million) and also sign Jarrett Jack (4 yrs, 24 million) and Ryan Hollins (3 yrs, 12 million). You let Stuckey's team option go and all your unrestricted Free Agents as well 2013-14 Pistons Knight/Jack M. Ellis/Singler Porter/Jerekbo Monroe/Villanueva Drummond/Hollins/Kratsov Great speed and playmaking ability from the backcourt and the frontcourt has some great length. Bench players who can all serve their defined role. This would be a playoff team barring any catastrophic injuries.

Scott Spence 1826668 posted about 11 hours ago 1361889913 12399646 Scott Contributor I 1 comment collapsed I like Burke but I would rather grab Otto Porter. Small forward is a very important position in the east with King James down in Miami so we need a more physical SF than Singler. In free agency I would offer a big deal to Monta Ellis (5 yrs, 75 million) and also sign Jarrett Jack (4 yrs, 24 million) and Ryan Hollins (3 yrs, 12 million). You let Stuckey's team option go and all your unrestricted Free Agents as well 2013-14 Pistons Knight/Jack M. Ellis/Singler Porter/Jerekbo Monroe/Villanueva Drummond/Hollins/Kratsov Great speed and playmaking ability from the backcourt and the frontcourt has some great length. Bench players who can all serve their defined role. This would be a playoff team barring any catastrophic injuries.

Click to expand...

I like Jarrett Jack, but why would Jack leave GS to take a back up job in Detroit? Why would we offer that kind of money to a pint sized chucker like Ellis? I would rather have Ben Gordon than Ellis. Ryan Hollins is a nice project, and probably a better talent than Kratsov, but he's a 10 mpg guy. Porter is one of the top three guys in the draft. Burke is a fantastic option if we pick late in the lottery.

Sure, that team would probably be a playoff team, but that's because of Drummond and Monroe. Not because of Ellis, Jack, and Hollins.

Tough to say. They brought him in to replace Calderon in Toronto, and he couldn't do it. Jose is clearly the better offensive player, but I would argue that Jack is the better all-around player. I don't view either as high quality starters, although if I had to start one of them, it would probably be Jose. He IS a poor man's Steve Nash. I view both players as very solid 28 mpg guys. I would think that Jack is probably a better compliment to BK, since he can defend both guard spots, which would leave us in better shape defensively when BK shifts to the 2. Jose might better compliment our bigs by getting them the ball where they need it, but he really needs a shot blocker behind him.

I think that it's six on one hand, half a dozen on the other. The difference being that Calderon was available, and Jarrett Jack wasn't. We can probably re-sign Jose for a reasonable contract. Whereas we would need to throw solid starter money at Jack to pry him away from GS.

Tough to say. They brought him in to replace Calderon in Toronto, and he couldn't do it. Jose is clearly the better offensive player, but I would argue that Jack is the better all-around player. I don't view either as high quality starters, although if I had to start one of them, it would probably be Jose. He IS a poor man's Steve Nash. I view both players as very solid 28 mpg guys. I would think that Jack is probably a better compliment to BK, since he can defend both guard spots, which would leave us in better shape defensively when BK shifts to the 2. Jose might better compliment our bigs by getting them the ball where they need it, but he really needs a shot blocker behind him.

I think that it's six on one hand, half a dozen on the other. The difference being that Calderon was available, and Jarrett Jack wasn't. We can probably re-sign Jose for a reasonable contract. Whereas we would need to throw solid starter money at Jack to pry him away from GS.

Click to expand...

Jack is FA and will likely command a similar contract to the one that Jose gets next season (especially if Jack ends up winning 6th man of the year).

Prior to this season, my choice would have been Calderon my a mile. This year, Jack is tearing it up for Golden State. He (not Curry) is running that team in crunch time and he's doing it well. Jack is more of a combo compaired to Jose. It's interesting to me that even though Jose is about as "pure PG" as it gets, the Pistons still stick to their combo mentality and play him off of the ball.

Jack is FA and will likely command a similar contract to the one that Jose gets next season (especially if Jack ends up winning 6th man of the year).

Prior to this season, my choice would have been Calderon my a mile. This year, Jack is tearing it up for Golden State. He (not Curry) is running that team in crunch time and he's doing it well. Jack is more of a combo compaired to Jose. It's interesting to me that even though Jose is about as "pure PG" as it gets, the Pistons still stick to their combo mentality and play him off of the ball.

Click to expand...

I think that they might play him off the ball because neither Stuckey or Bynum can function in the backcourt without the ball in their hands, while Jose can. I don't think that it's by choice. It's not ideal. It's not even Frank's fault. It's Joe's fault. I'm okay with BK at the two for maybe 15-20 mpg, but we need a legit two guard next year, in a big way.

Jack's always been steady. This year he's been a model of efficiency. He rarely takes bad shots, and he get's the ball where it needs to be. He's playing a very "Billups" style of PG. He lacks Jose's occasional brilliance, and he isn't quite the shooter that Jose is, but he's just rock solid in every phase of the game. I really like both Jose and Jack. You can't go wrong with either for 25-28 mpg. You really don't want either playing 36 mpg though.

I'm really not as high on Burke as I once was. I'm sort of smelling Kemba Walker..

For whatever reason, he's sort of lost confidence in taking it to the hole. His shot selection's have been questionable. He's not really running the offense that fluidly. Sure, I still think he's going to be one of the better (top 15-ish) starting point guards in the league. I think he'd be perfect to groom behind Calderon. But the CP3 stuff..no.

I'm really not as high on Burke as I once was. I'm sort of smelling Kemba Walker..

For whatever reason, he's sort of lost confidence in taking it to the hole. His shot selection's have been questionable. He's not really running the offense that fluidly. Sure, I still think he's going to be one of the better (top 15-ish) starting point guards in the league. I think he'd be perfect to groom behind Calderon. But the CP3 stuff..no.

Click to expand...

I think that he'll be better than Walker. He's not CP3. He's more like TJ Ford with a nice three ball. I think that he has All-Star potential, just not perennial All-Star potential. Burke can play. If we're sitting there at #10-#12, then it would be hard to pass him up.

I think that he'll be better than Walker. He's not CP3. He's more like TJ Ford with a nice three ball. I think that he has All-Star potential, just not perennial All-Star potential. Burke can play. If we're sitting there at #10-#12, then it would be hard to pass him up.

Click to expand...

Burke is a late first rounder at best. No way you reach for #10 to #20.

I think that he'll be better than Walker. He's not CP3. He's more like TJ Ford with a nice three ball. I think that he has All-Star potential, just not perennial All-Star potential. Burke can play. If we're sitting there at #10-#12, then it would be hard to pass him up.

Click to expand...

I'm thinking more like Ty Lawson, although he's not as fast as Lawson with the ball. Assuming that Shabazz, McClemore and Porter will not be available when we pick, I'm cool with Burke, McCollum or Oladipo.

Lawson is playing awesome now that he isnt hurt. Top 10 PG in this league.

Click to expand...

yep. Although their style is somewhat unique. Last night they had something like 72 points in the paint and 12 outside the paint (the rest were FTs). It's a fast break attack and he's an undersized PG, so it's tough to know how good or bad he would look with a team like ours.

yep. Although their style is somewhat unique. Last night they had something like 72 points in the paint and 12 outside the paint (the rest were FTs). It's a fast break attack and he's an undersized PG, so it's tough to know how good or bad he would look with a team like ours.

Click to expand...

Any team can run, but when your 5 is as fast and athletic as Dre, THIS team should be running too, especially since we do not and probably will not have a player that can get his own shot in a half court set.

Any team can run, but when your 5 is as fast and athletic as Dre, THIS team should be running too, especially since we do not and probably will not have a player that can get his own shot in a half court set.

Any team can run, but when your 5 is as fast and athletic as Dre, THIS team should be running too, especially since we do not and probably will not have a player that can get his own shot in a half court set.

Click to expand...

I agree, and that's one reason I would like us to pick Oladipo in the draft. I doubt we'll get a guy who can score on his own effecient in the draft, so we might as well draft a good defensive guard who can lock down pos 1-2 and many 3's aswell. It would be really tough for a player to first get past Oladipo and then face Monroe-Drummond at the rim. It will lead to many fast-break opportunities.

I want talk about draft targets.. This year's draft has depth. (at least, in my opinion)

But, the question for the ages, what we always talk about when march is already lost and we are expecting to lose games and watch the younglings play.... Should we draft for needs, or best talent available?

Maybe the best talent available is also what we need.

I have Oladipo in mind, for example. I only see 1 game from him but a lot of scouting reviews, and he seems to be what we need... an athletic small forward who can create his own shot, my concern about him is his height, don't know how he will be able to defend 6-7, 6-8 Small forwards being only 6-5.

What about other small forwards like Otto Porter or Alex Poythress? Are they any good?

I've watched a few games from California and seen Crabbe played and i think he could be a great second round pick if we decided to pick Burke or some other player with our first round pick...

I'm not sure if I want another PF/C on the team with a first pick, except if we have a plan about moving Monroe or soemthing like that..

Drummond, IMO, when healthy, looked like the soon-to-be best true big man in the NBA as a 19 year old; the best pick of the draft. I really don't think it'll take more than 2 or 3 years for him to surpass Dwight Howard. Size, he's got it - he's near 7-feet tall and 300+ lbs. Strength, he's got it. Athleticism, he's got it. Agility, coordination, awareness, intelligence, intangibles, he's got all that too. He's going to be one of the NBA's premiere post-defenders. He's going to be one of the NBA's premiere rebounders. And, at least I think, he's going to be one of the NBA's premiere low-post scorers. In Drummond, we've got ourselves a real gem; a franchise player.

Greg Monroe, too, is a terrific young player. He's never going to be Tim Duncan, but he's got a lot of the same qualities to love. He's near 7-feet and 250+ lbs. He's never going to be athletic enough to guard stretch-fours, but he's smart, hard-working, tough, a team-player, and he's going to continue to improve. He's going to be a more than solid post-defender. He's going to be a more than solid rebounder. He's going to be a more than solid low-post scorer. And, over time, he's going to adjust to playing outside the post alongside Andre Drummond - his mid-range shot will improve, his driving ability will improve, and he's already one of the best big-man passers in the game. In Drummond and Monroe, we've got a great foundation to build upon.

Some other things we have that might be of value..

Jose Calderon. Jose Calderon does everything you need a typical NBA starting point guard to do, and a little more IMO. He can hit outside shots. He hits late-game FT's. His bball IQ is off the charts - he's a coach on the court and he runs the offense to perfection (esp. on the fast break). He protects the ball, he rarely turns it over, he finds the right teammate. And while he's not a great defender, he does give great effort that end and I don't see as being much worse than average in that regard. On top of that all, he appears to me to be a great veteran leader for this bunch. If the price is right, I'd love to see him continue on here.

Brandon Knight. Brandon Knight is still that same guy. He's got all the potential in the world. But he could still end up being nothing. He's one of the best athletes in the game period. He's got great size. He's got a decent shot. He's got decent ball-skills. He can be quite advantageous out on the floor as a two-guard in some matchups. He's supposed to be pretty smart too, which leads one to believe that he could be groomed under a veteran like Calderon to eventually take over as our point man. Just like I said though, a guy who could be everything or nothing. His dedication to that end will probably be the determining factor.

Kyle Singler. A classic won't lose you games, won't win you games type. Does a lot of things well, few things poorly, and nothing really exceptionally. A solid young glue wing, probably best used off the bench.

Jonas Jerebko. Very similar to Kyle Singler in virtually every way, but at another position. Probably too, most effective off the bench - which works nicely with Drummond and Monroe in the fold. Slava Kravtsov. Some people don't like him as much as me, but I do like him. Solid big man to have on the bench for this or that. Very Zeljko Rebracca-like, which is a nice thing to have on the roster.

That's about all we've got, IMO. English/Middleton - who knows (or cares?). Stuckey - he's a cancer. He's horrible defensively (by choice, doesn't appear it will change). And while he does have some things to bring to the table offensively, it just doesn't appear as though it's ever going to work out. We should trade him for nothing if possible. Villanueva - he too is a cancer. He's too horrible defensively (in part, by choice) to ever make up for, even on his best shooting nights. We should amnesty him immediately and use the cap space elsewhere. Maxiel and Bynum I don't love or hate - but I think we should explore all other options with their cap space before even talking to their agents. Maggette, lol.

SO WHAT DO WE NEED!?!?!?!

It's so simple that it seems insane. We need SCORERS at the 2 and 3 positions who aren't liabilities defensively. That's it.

DRAFT: Looking at projected lotto picks (according to Chad Ford). Probable #1 overall pick Ben McLemore would be an absolute godsend. Marcus Smart would be the next best thing, as a 1 or a 2. Shabazz Muhammad is supposed to have all the potential in the world?? Otto Porter I don't know that much about. Victor Oladipo seems like he's going to be more of a defensive specialist in the league to me. Gary Harris is a great outside shooter that might be of interest?? Alex Poythress I don't know much about? Michael-Carter Williams I don't know that much about. Trey Burke I think will be a solid NBA PG (though it'd mean giving up on both Calderon and Knight, more or less).

Nerlens Noel is a defensive 4/5. Anthony Bennett is a 4. Cody Zeller is a 4/5. Alex Len is a 4/5. Mason Plumlee is a 4/5.